Councillors spending JKP grant on pedestrian bridges, parks

Pedestrian bridges over monsoon drains, community parks and gotong royong seems to be the three main focus when MPSJ councillors spend their RM100,000 community committee (JKP) grant respectively.

The grant, first introduced by MPSJ in the 2010 Budget, aims to provide supplementary aid for localised and emergency expenditures that are overlooked by the budget.

It is granted to all 24 councillors and divided into three parts: RM3000 for administrative costs, RM17,000 for community activities and RM80,000 for small projects.

Councillor for JKP Zone 3 Rajiv Rishyakaran said he used part of the fund to build two pedestrian bridges over monsoon drains at USJ12 and USJ13, a reflexology path at USJ3C, an outdoor gym at USJ 3 and a gazebo at USJ 13.

“We have also installed air-conditioning for our only community hall at USJ 2.”

He said park maintenance should undeniably be billed to MPSJ’s landscape department, but the overwhelming requests force the department to be selective.

“The JKP grant therefore can fulfil certain things that are unlisted in the budget.”

Roslan Shahir, councillor for JKP Zone 4, shares Rajiv’s vision.

“We are building a small pedestrian bridge crossing the monsoon drain between USJ 1 residential area and the industrial site.

“This was brought to our attention because many residents are working at that industrial area,”

He said some other things he has done included an open house during Chinese New Year, gotong royong and road resurfacing in and around USJ 1.

“I find the amount of RM100,000 is not really sufficient. Councillors will demand a slight increase during Budget 2011 Workshop on Wednesday.”

Tan Jo Hann, on the other hand, is not in favour of the grant.

“Seeing that a small bus stop will cost RM50,000 and a drain is RM15,000, I really don’t know how should I spend the grant.

“MPSJ is supposed to have covered all this groundwork,” the councillor for JKP Zone 16 (Puteri Puchong and Taman Wawasan) said.

“Besides, we cannot do things which benefit only one taman because residents from the other area will complain about not getting the same thing,”

Hence, Tan decided to spend it on public parks, namely purchasing chairs, installing lights and repairing recycle cabins at parks such as Taman Tasik Wawasan.

“My JKP is also on track to build a sepak takraw court next to the DG Foodcourt.”

The RM17,000 grant for community activities would be transferred to the JKP’s account every six months, while the RM80,000 small project allocation is dispersed directly to the contractor once the JKP’s recommendation for the project is approved.

According to Rajiv, any single project should not exceed the limit of RM20,000 and recommendations should be filed to the MPSJ to appoint the contractor.

MPSJ’s budget for 2010 is accounted at RM199 million. Themed “back to basics”, the budget spends a tremendous RM116.5 million on basic amnesties.

The council will conduct its mid-term review of the budget next month. They are entitled to revise any input if the projected income has failed to meet the target.